Air purifier and circulator



April 1951 w. .1. HARSHBARGER 2,549,087

AIR PURIFIER AND CIRCULATOR Filed July 5, 1947 a Sheets-Sheet i INVENTOR WALTER Il-IARSHBARGER jm 7 MW ATTORN EYS April 17, 1 51 w. J. HARSHBARGER AIR PURIFIER AND CIRCULATOR 3 Sheefns-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1947 INVENTOR WAL 75/? .I HARSHEARGER j BY 4 ATTOR EYS Ap 1951 w. J. HARSHBARGER 2,549,087

AIR PURIFIER AND CIRCULATOR Filed July 5, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 EL 5 i fa INVENTOR WAL rm J HARSHBARGER ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 17, 1951 Unites STATES 25ers? rsNr GFFECE" AIR PURIFIER AND CIRCULATOR Walter J .Harshbarger, New York, N. Y., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to International'Projector Corporation, Bloomfield, -N.- J a corpo ration ofDelaware Application July-5, 1947, Serial No: 759,025

9 Claims." (01. 2174).

Myinvention relates generally .to air circulators, and in particular, itrelates to devices for creating-an air stream and moving the air stream through and-past meansto purifythe air and ings." In the following specification, the term air purifying means will be used broadly to indicate germicidal ray lamps: ozone creating devices, and the like, and it. is to be understood that my invention-is not to be limited by the spe- 1 cific forms 'andcircuits shown, since circuit'variation's, speed fluctuations, switching changes, and'the lik may all be incorporated therewithin without departing from the teachings of my disclosure. 7

Another object of my invention is the, provision of an air circulating device having air purifying means so disposed :therewithin as to effect the moving air stream moving within the device prior to discharge therefrom the purifying means being baffled from view.

Still another object of the invention is the provision ofa device of the character described wherein the direction of an air stream moving axially'of thestructureis changed,- and during the change -is caused to move through a zone where it iss'ubj ected to purifying treatment prior to discharge from the device.

Still' another objectof my invention is the provision of a device comprising "an air circulator, means comprising an inverted hollow cone to direct the air out of the device and'purifying means, inside the coneeifectivetotreat the air moving past the outside thereof.

Other and further objects of my invention will in part be obvious, and still others will be pointed out specifically' in connection'with the following description of several illustrative embodiments thereof;

In the drawings annexed" h'eretof forming a part hereof,

Figure 1' is a vertical cross-sectional view, partly in elevation, through one form of device constructed according to andemb'odying my inventionitaken on the line l-=I 'of- Fig; 2;

FigFZ 'isa top'plan view; partly in section and part-1y "broken"away,of the form of device'illus-j.

trated'in Fig.1, with the cover removed;

Fig. 3 is' a wiring diagram for the deviceillus trated' in Figs. 1 and 2 Figji l'is aview' similar to Fig. l of a'modified form of device also-constructed according toand embodyingmy invention;

Fig."5 is a sideelevational'view of another'form' of deviceconstructed according to andembody-y ingmy invention; and:

Fig. 6 is a :section on the line.6*6 of Fig.5.

In the form of my device illustrate'd'in FigsI-l to 3 inclusive, my device comprises a housing formed in partiof aicylindrical casing ill of light I J auge sheet metal or the like, supported upwardly of the ground'on legs as l2,l2. :Casing Hlmay be circular, as shown, or ofany'other shape, and

its heighti'and diameter amatter of choice. A

plurality of vertically extending; narrow" slitsn l6, l6 areformedabout the sides of' casing H), spaced slightly from the lower'edge thereof. :A motorilB is provided and so disposed Within casc ing it that" its operating. shaft 20 extends verti cally =upward,"having horizontally extended fan blades 22, 22 attached'theretofor rotation therewithr A floor portion 24 is provided .for'the" housing and securedto the lower edge of casing l6, as by bolts 25, 25, in the center of which floor"; 24 motor 18 is disposed, as in well :23. A plu-i rality of horizontally extended struts 25, 26 are provided, bolted'to the side-of casing Ii) aszat 21 and *to the upperedge of the motor housing as at 29, in order to stabilize the rnotor during operat ion thereof and minimize vibration effects thereof.

An inverted cone 32 is" provided, which may be truncated, as shown, of diameter slightly larger 1 than that of casing l0, and is disposed within the "housing, at the upper portion thereof by a' plurality of spaced-apart risers 30, 30, the lower ends of which risers are bolted'or otherwi'se secured to the upper edge of casing It, as at-3ql,

and the upper ends of the risers being bolted to the cone adjacent the outer end thereof, as at 33, 3'3. Horizontally extending guard rails 35,35

may be provided, passing through suitable apertures in'the risers, ringing the risers and guard"- ing the interior of the device against'easy access to the fan blades -22, 22. The marginal edge 34 the device, as in the relation shown in'Fig. 1.

' A germicidal' -lamp of circular type as 50 is wardly as to direct the rays from lamp 50 towards windows 68, 60 set in suitable openings in cone 32, permitting the radiations from the germicidal lamp 5!] to pass through and diiluse throughout the air stream leaving the fan blades. A transformer-reactor 62 is mounted inside cone 32, supported upwardly thereof by legs 64 bolted to the cone as at B6. A suitable switch 68 is provided, located as desired or as convenient near the lower edge of easing I0, the switch being of the double-pole, double-throw type.

Referring now to the wiring diagram of Fig. 3, lead from contact H on theswitch plate 12 is connected to one end 13 of one side of transformer 62, the other lead 74 from point 15 on the same side of plate 12 is connected to the other point 16 on the opposite side of plate 12, which is connected by lead 18 to one side of fan motor I8. Leads 88, 8| from a suitable source of electric current are connected respectively to one pole of switch 68 and to the other end 69 of the side of transformer 62 to which lead Ill is connected. A branch lead 82 from lead 8! is connected to the other side of fan motor [8. Thus, with leads 80, 8| connected to a suitable current source, one

side of fan motor l8 and one side of transformer 1 82 are always connected. When it is desired to operate only the fan, switch 68 is closed downwardly, and the circuit is thereby closed from lead 80 to contact 16 and through lead 18 to the other side of fan motor l8, causing actuation of shaft 20 and rotation of fan blades 22. As the blades rotate, air is drawn into casing l 9 through slits l6, l6 and moved upwardly against the underside of cone 32 and out into the atmosphere past risers 3n and cross bar rings 35, 35.

When it is desired to operate both the fan and lamp 50, switch 68 is thrown into the"up position, as in Fig. 3, closing the circuit from lead 80 to contact H, and through lead 18 to the transformer B2, energizin lamp 5n, and through lead 14 closing the circuit to the fan motor as well. Thus, in the up position, both the fan and lamp will be energized. It will be seen that the lamp 58 at the opposite side of transformer 62 is suitably grounded as by lead 83, and that an alternate ground connection may be provided from the lamp side of the transformer, as by lead 83a.

Referring again to Fig. 1, it will be seen that a plurality of openings 84, 84 are provided adjacent the truncated portion, the plateau of cone 32, more or less in line with fan blades 22, 22 and the air stream created by movement'thereof. Also, a plurality of air bleed openings as 86, 86 are formed through cover skirt 38 adjacent the top of the device.

In the modification of Fig. 4, wherein similar parts to those in the first-described modification are given similar reference numerals, the inverted truncated cone 90, supported on risers 30, 38, is capped by cover plate 92, and has an ozone creating unit 94 secured to the plateau portion thereof, depending therefrom in line with the fan motor l8 and air blast created thereby, a suitable transformer 96 being disposed and secured inside the cone, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the operation of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, when the switch 68 is in the down position, and only the fan energized, air will be drawn into the interior of the housing through slits l6, It in the sides of the casing 10 and directed against the underside of cone 32. Most of the air stream will flow upwardly and outwardly along the cone side and out into the atmosphere past guard rails 35. However, a substantial portion of the air stream will be forced into the interior of the cone through openings 84, 84, into close contact with the lamp rays, and out through bleed openings 86, 86 to mingle with the rest of the stream moving along the underside of cone 32 and out of the housing past risers 30, 38.

When the switch is in the up position, both lamp and fan motor I8 will be energized. The underside of reflector 54 is highly polished, and preferably of such curvature as to concentrate the germicidal radiations towards the windows 60, B0. The rays will pass through these windows and form a cone of ultra-violet light wholly within the casing. This arrangement guards against the possibility of having the ultra-violet radiations fall intothe line of vision of the human eye, or upon any part of the human body, with possibly harmful effects. The lamp itself, the source of the'ultra-violet radiations, is completely hidden from view. The air tream created by fan motor [8 is moved through the cone of rays during which it is freed of harmful germs and viruses before it is moved out of the casing. The

fan, because of its location beneath and in line with the deflecting cone, provides a draftless source of circulating air, and when operated in conjunction with the lamp, provides clean, uncontaminated and healthful circulating air.

The material used in windows 80, as quartz, plastic or no material at all permits the passage therethrough of ultra-violet radiations from approximately 1850 to 3600 A. units without appreciably attenuating the radiations about 2537 A. units, which have the most effective germicidal properties. Approximately 95% of the ultraviolet energy output of the lamp is in the region of 2537 A. units, and it will thus be seen that my device has a high efficiency in relation to its potential.

In the form of device of Fig. 4, the ozonizer unit 84 is mounted on the underside of the air defleeting cone 32, in such position Within the housing confines as to be protected against contact by persons, and as to disturb the air stream as little as possible. The air stream from the fan either passes through or immediatelyadjacent the ozonizer, and flows along the cone sides and out of the housing as cool, ionizedand purified air, freed of room odors and other organic impurities. If desired, a number of small ozonizer units may be provided and variously located within the casing, and other modifications may be resorted to, but the essence of the device is the combination of an air stream creating means, the purifying means and the air stream guiding through the purifier and out of the housing. The high voltage transformer 96 is needed because the ozonizer is inherently a high voltage device and as shown, it is disposed out of sight within the cone, being connected to the ozonizer by suitable leads, etc.

In the form of Figs. 5 and 6, the arrangement of parts is substantially identical as in Figs. 1-3,

except that the louvres I00, I00 extend from top the moving air -stre'a'm. A screen a augmen levelof the fanfto' serve-asa 'guar d ahdpreven insertionof the fingers a ains't the ran biades.

Having now d'escribed inyinve t-ion; wha I claim and desire to secure by Lltteis Patent is'z- 1. A' device=*-er the -charater described comprising a hollow, cylindrical, vertically extending housing, peripherally arranged air-ihlet openings adj acenta the bottom -thereof, peripherallyv arranged air outlet openings near the top thereof,

means withinthe housing to create .a moving air stream into, through andou t -of 'th e'housing, air purifyingf means within the housing and betwe'e the inlet andi outlet..openingsgiandliameans com prising" aha-inverted. cone .dispd'sed awithi housing at the upper portion thereof to direct the air stream from the inlet openings through and past the air purifying means and out of the housing through the outlet openings, the air puri: fying means being disposed out of the direct path of the moving air stream.

2. A device of the character described comprise ing a hollow, cylindrical, vertically extending housing, peripherally arranged air inlet openings adjacent the bottom thereof, peripherally arranged air outlet openings near the top thereof, means within the housing to create a moving air stream vinto, through and out of the housing, germicidal ray air purifying means disposed within the housing and between. the inlet and outlet openings outside the direct path of the air stream, and means within the housing to direct the air stream from the inlet openings through a the area aifected by the air purifying ray means and out of the housing through the outlet openings.

3. A device of the character described comprising a hollow, cylindrical, vertically extending housing, a hollow cover member thereon, a plurality of peripherally arranged air inlet openings adjacent the bottom of the housing, a plurality of peripherally arranged air outlet openings adjacent the upper portion of the housing, motor driven fan means within the housing to create an upwardly moving air stream axially of the housing, the cover including an inverted cone on the underside of the cover, the apex of the cone being directed axially and downwardly of the casing in line with the moving air stream, and germicidal ray air purifying means mounted within the housing, and out of the direct path of the air stream, the axially moving air stream being directed by the cone through the area affected by the germicidal rays and thence out of the housing.

4. A device of the character described comprising a hollow, cylindrical, vertically extending housing, a hollow cover thereon, a plurality of peripherally arranged air inlet openings adjacent the bottom of the housing, a plurality of periph- .the Y the' cone t the housing v I 5. Adevi'ce' f thb halaclier described'compris ing a hollow, cylindrical,-vertically extnding housing,-a'coverthereonya plurality o'f" periphripherally arranged air outlet-openingsadjacent the upper "portionof the -housing, motor-driven war'dlymoving air stream' axiallyof the housing, an inverted triincated hollowcone'disposed within the housing mar ne to'p thereof, the cone being 15- directedaxiallyarid"downwardly"of the casing in I linewit the moving air streamjand' germicidal rifying: means mounted inside-the cone,-"-=*- o emh s in the sides-pf the "cone-to permit the assagepr raystl ierethrough intothe path of the mowing air"'strealm;" the"direction'of the axially" moving-air"stream-being changedby the coneso as to direct same through the germicidal rays and angularly out of the housing.

6. A device of the character described comprising a hollow, cylindrical, vertically extending housing, a cover therefor, a plurality of peripherally arranged air inlet openings in the housing adjacent the lower portion thereof, a plurality of. peripherally arranged air outlet openings adjacent the upper portion of the housing, an inverted hollow truncated cone mounted within the casing, the base thereof being disposed adjacent the cover and the cone being directed downwardly and axially of the casing, a circular germicidal ray lamp mounted inside the cone, a plurality of windows in the cone sides, the rays from the lamp being focussed to pass through the windows, motor-driven fan means within the housing to form an air stream initially moving vertically upwardly against the cone and thereafter angling outwardly along the sides thereof through the rays from the lamp passing through the windows in the cone, and out of the housing through the outlet openings.

'7. A device'of the character described comprising a hollow, cylindrical, vertically extending housing, a cover thereon, air bleed openings in the cover adjacent the edges thereof, a plurality of peripherally arranged air inlet openings in the housing adjacent the lower portion thereof, a plurality of peripherally arranged air outlet openings adjacent the upper portion of the housing, an inverted hollow truncated cone mounted within the casing, the base thereof being disposed adjacent the cover and the cone being directed downwardly and axially of the casing, air inlet openings in the plateau portion of the cone, a circular germicidal ray lamp mounted inside the cone, a plurality of windows in the cone sides, the rays from the lamp being focussed to pass through the windows, motor-driven fan means within the housing to form an air stream, the major portion of which initially moves vertically upwardly against the cone apex and thereafteris directed thereby outwardly along the sides thereof through the rays from the lamp passing through the windows in the cone, and out of the housing through the outlet openings, a portion of the air stream entering the interior of the cone through the openings in the plateau into intimate contact with the lamp rays, and out of the cone through the air bleed openings.

8. A device of the character described comprising a housing including a hollow casing and a cover thereon, air inlet openings near the bottom of the casing, air outlet openings near the top of an means inside'the'housing to create an musing, means within the casing to create a moving air stream into, through and out of the rousing, air purifying means within the housing ,nd between the inlet and outlet openings out of he direct path of the air stream and means vithin the housing and part of the cover member 0 direct a substantial portion of the air stream rom the inlet openings through the area afiected y the air purifying means and thence out of the iousing through the outlet openings.

9. A device of the character described comprisng a cylindrical, vertically extending housing in- :luding a hollow casing and a hollow cover mem- )61 thereon, peripherally arranged air inlet openngs adjacent the bottom of the casing, peripharally arranged air outlet openings near the top )f the housing, means Within the casing to create 1, moving air stream into and through the casing and out of the housing, air purifying means withvn the housing and between the inlet and outlet REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 977,335 Shaffner Nov. 29, 1910 2,294,399 Fuka1 Sept. 1, 1942 

